Meaning of the color white in psychology

Psychology

In this article, we will discover together the meaning of the color white in psychology, marketing, and the spiritual world.


Table of contents

Technically, white is a color with high luminosity, but without tint, achromatic, and more precisely it contains all the colors of the electromagnetic spectrum: by passing white light through a glass prism, a rainbow of colors is created, they which, joining together, again form the target.

White is also the opposite of black, which represents the absence of colors, but with which it shares many more things than one might think: for example, more than colors, it is about nuances in relation to light, black in absence, white in absoluteness, in the middle all the variables of both.

They are absolute colors, uncompromising, they evoke everything or nothing. In this article, we will discover together the meaning of the color white in psychology, in marketing and in the spiritual.

Meaning of the color white in psychology

1. What is the meaning of the color white?

White is the first of all colors and represents freedom, peace, purification, a new beginning. White is light, and the sensations of white refer to purity, encourage order, mental clarity.

Above all, they invite lightness, to reach things without weight, without expectations, carefree and delicate, without annoying feelings that pull down, oppress. 

The white color symbolizes:

  • Simplicity
  • Independence
  • Opening
  • Clarity
  • Purity
  • Equality
  • Isolation
  • Distance
  • Boredom
  • Empty
  • Coldness

2. Personality by colors: psychology of the color white

What does it mean that your favorite color is white? There are very few negative connotations for white, however, in some cases, it can be cold and empty, arouse feelings of detachment, coldness, not very interesting on a perceptual level.

According to some color tests, whoever prefers white is like an open book, does not hide, neutral and independent, often a perfectionist, critical of himself and others. But with a great desire for simplicity.
  • Lovers of white have a strong propensity for fatalism, but at the same time they express a certain amount of creativity and imagination. Those who prefer this color are constantly driven to seek change, they are people who love to travel and feel alive thanks to strong stimuli. They do not agree and want to live life according to their inclinations. They are optimistic, full of confidence also in the future, but they could fall into the easy illusion of being naive at various times in their lives. Whoever loves white embraces on the one hand all the character facets of the other colors and at the same time rejects them all: he is an indecisive person, of many qualities, but who from time to time does not know which way to turn his life given the many beautiful things. Finally, they are precise people who try to avoid conflicts.
  • On the contrary, those who flee from the color white do not like white clothes and accessories and, even on their wedding day, they could opt for something different from usual. According to experts, these people do not trust others and have little trust in others, considering that only with sacrifice and with their own strength is it possible to live life to the fullest, without letting it be fate or the help of others. They don't like news and changes very much. Unexpected in their lives; they prefer stability, rejecting novelties - even good ones - as they are intimidated. Essentially pragmatic and rational, they are not people prone to being carried away by easy sentimentality or wandering from the mind. In addition, whoever rejects white is not endowed with a particular sensitivity or imagination.

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3. What does the color white mean in marketing?

In neuromarketing, white indicates freshness, cleanliness, hope, goodness, light, purity, sterility, simplicity, truth, virginity, modesty, minimalism, perfection and innocence, which is why it is often used in the domestic, religious, medical, technological, etc. legal, bridal, funeral and design.

It is an impersonal dye, but capable of transmitting a profound elegance. It is used to represent the concepts of order and cleanliness (if we think of white sheets or a doctor's gown, the unconscious combination with an aseptic and immaculate environment is immediate) and to give an essential and sophisticated cut to a graphic project.

Furthermore, it is also the color of hygiene and cleanliness: soaps, detergents, sheets are generally white (or rather they were in the past, before current fashions contaminated us with colors of dubious taste).

4. Meaning of the color white in the spiritual

For most traditions in the world, white is a very positive color. It also symbolizes the purity of feelings, spirituality and virginity.

The white color is the bridge that unites man with the universe and with all the possibilities of the world.

In Western symbology, the color white is associated with light as a fundamental element, and this is confirmed in the myths of creation. Its meaning is diametrically opposed to black and symbolizes the beginning of the vital phase and expresses peace and hope for the future, trust both in people and in the world in general; it is the emblem of purity, of feelings.

In other societies, however, white has a different connotation: according to some traditions, such as the Chinese, it is the color of mourning, associated with the paleness of death.

In Cameroon, a country in Central Africa, widows have the custom of painting their legs white and always in the same country, but further south, they wrap the body of the deceased with white stripes, excluding the hands and feet. Often the white-death link is linked to the idea that after physical death, there is a new life.


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5. Biblical meaning of the color white

In the original symbology, this color is associated with light as a fundamental element, as it is written in the myths of creation. In many religions, white is the symbol of divinity, Christianity also associates light with spiritual reality, says Jesus:

"I am the light of the world, whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (Jn 8, 12).
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White is indeed the symbol of purity, chastity, spirituality, but also of divinity: white is the color of angels, eternity and paradise.

In the celebration of marriage, the brides are dressed in white, just as white is the dress of the baptizer. In the Christian liturgical calendar, white vestments are used in the solemnities of Christmas and Easter, but also in the celebrations of baptisms and marriages.

It is the color of peace, of the dove, but also because it contains all the colors of the rainbow (typical of the pacifist manifesto).

Bibliography

  • Baldoni, G. (2016). The symbolism of white.
  • Claudia (2017). White color: symbolism and meaning.
  • Gasperini, B. (2018). The psychological significance of the color white.
  • MADE Artis Comunicatio (2018). History of the white color. Between myth and curiosity.

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Disclaimer: This article is purely informative, I have no authority to make a diagnosis or recommend treatment. I invite you to visit a psychologist to treat your particular case.